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A review by sdloomer
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
5.0
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
--4.75/5 stars--
Deliciously dark and gleefully gritty, Stalking Jack the Ripper left me horrified, distressed, and starving for the next installment. Full of mystery, blood, and sharp wit--tied up with clever mystery, romance, and horror.
Ms. Maniscalco does a superb job of crafting the world: details are macabre and gothic and atmospheric, and I had no trouble imagining the dusky streets of 1880s London, as well as mad scientists conducting morally ambiguous experiments in dark labs while dressed in their finest.
The supporting cast also warrants praise as well: Thomas is delicious, but also a bit of an arrogant prick, which Ms. Maniscalco writes exceptionally well, all the while making him seem desirable and smart--almost akin to Sherlock Holmes (though considering the time period, that may have been intentional. If the sequel is an adaptation of the famous sleuth, I may just cry with anticipation.)
The writing is particularly rich too. Features and other relatively mundane minutiae are transformed into eerie prose, though it's not over-the-top. Banter and sarcasm are present in abundance, but well-placed, and I usually found myself giggling when I probably shouldn't have.
There were some details and scenes I would have liked to see expanded upon, as I felt there was some wasted potential; these don't detract from the overall story, but could have served as a little more background, or relationship or character-building I felt were somewhat lacking.
All in all, I had a jolly good time with this novel, and I applaud Ms. Maniscalco on such a fine portrayal of Victorian England--usually a hit-or-miss setting for many authors. I am eager for the next in the series, may it be as bloody and gory and sinister as this one!
--4.75/5 stars--
Deliciously dark and gleefully gritty, Stalking Jack the Ripper left me horrified, distressed, and starving for the next installment. Full of mystery, blood, and sharp wit--tied up with clever mystery, romance, and horror.
Ms. Maniscalco does a superb job of crafting the world: details are macabre and gothic and atmospheric, and I had no trouble imagining the dusky streets of 1880s London, as well as mad scientists conducting morally ambiguous experiments in dark labs while dressed in their finest.
"I didn't see any men running about, birthing the world's population then going on to make supper and tend to the house."Our heroine, Audrey Rose Wadsworth is equally appealing--her take-no-excuses attitude, intelligence, and engaging determination are what I look for and adore in leading ladies, and I believe we have a new YA heroine to look forward to in future sequels in our midst. All bow down to her brilliance! However, not only do these "surface" traits make her seem relatable, but the contradictions that seem to govern her life make Audrey that much more empathetic (to me, at least); she's not afraid of admitting her admiration of pretty dresses or enjoying picnics, yet she finds dissecting cadavers fascinating.
The supporting cast also warrants praise as well: Thomas is delicious, but also a bit of an arrogant prick, which Ms. Maniscalco writes exceptionally well, all the while making him seem desirable and smart--almost akin to Sherlock Holmes (though considering the time period, that may have been intentional. If the sequel is an adaptation of the famous sleuth, I may just cry with anticipation.)
The writing is particularly rich too. Features and other relatively mundane minutiae are transformed into eerie prose, though it's not over-the-top. Banter and sarcasm are present in abundance, but well-placed, and I usually found myself giggling when I probably shouldn't have.
"Oh, yes. How silly of me to overlook that." Thomas snorted. "I imagine the women who lost their organs thought themselves quite above being slaughtered as well. They were likely saying, 'It's Friday. I shall go to the pub, find a bit of food, pay my board, then get murdered by a madman before the night's through. How lovely.'"And the twists, oh, the twists! I was constantly suspicious of every character, including Audrey herself at one point, and not until the last few chapters did everything fall into place...then I was thoroughly devastated. You are quite devious, Ms. Maniscalco, and utterly genius.
There were some details and scenes I would have liked to see expanded upon, as I felt there was some wasted potential; these don't detract from the overall story, but could have served as a little more background, or relationship or character-building I felt were somewhat lacking.
All in all, I had a jolly good time with this novel, and I applaud Ms. Maniscalco on such a fine portrayal of Victorian England--usually a hit-or-miss setting for many authors. I am eager for the next in the series, may it be as bloody and gory and sinister as this one!